bigelow



March 31, 1964 c. E. BIGELOW 3,126,859

CLEAT Filed Aprii so, 1963 v 4 F76. a. I 6 4a 6 7 6 4 P j? INVENTOR.

came; 55 E. 5/654 0 United States Patent 3,126,859 CLEAT Charles E. Eigelow, 1221 Potter, Richland, Wash. Filed Apr. 30, 1363, Ser. No. 276,860 2 Claims. (Cl. 114-218) This invention pertains to cleats, and more specifically, to an improved cleat construction used primarily as a boat accessory.

A primary object of this invention is to supply a cleat having a maximum upper and lower connection area about a central rod to provide an efiicient connection means for a looped line, or the like, and at the same time, to provide a cleat of improved appearance-particularly when in a non-use position. In furtherance of this objective, the invention provides a cleat for attachment to a boat deck or the like having a deck opening therein, the cleat being, in part, retractable from an upwardly extended, operating position to a retracted, non-use position.

An objective of the invention is to supply a retractable cleat comprising a base plate and a top plate and means for maintaining alignment between the base plate and the top plate.

Another object is to provide means for effectively maintaining the looped line within the confines of the cleat when in operating position.

Another object is to provide a cleat construction which has means for readily engaging a line loop.

Among the general objectives of the invention are the provision of a retractable cleat which is easily installed, non-complex in operation, and one which contributes to the appearance of a boat or the like.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a cleat constructed and assembled in accordance with the teachings of this invention in a retracted position on a portion of deck or the like;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the cleat in extended, operating position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, longitudinal cross sectional view, taken substantially on the section line 33 of FIG- URE 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view along the line 44 of FIGURE 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIGURE 5 is plan view from below the deck.

The cleat of this invention is employed to advantage in association with a boat deck or the like having an upper side 12 and a lower side 14. To accommodate the cleat construction, an opening 16 is formed in the deck 19 and extends therethrough, the opening 16 being of a selected diameter.

In the drawing, the cleat is generally identified by reference character 18, and comprises a base plate 20 of elongate, ovate form having an upper side 22 and a lower side 24, and having leading and trailing end portions 26, 28, respectively. The base plate 20 has a pair of side-by-side, spaced apart openings 30, 32 therein and extending therethrough, the opening 30 being of enlarged diameter with respect to the opening 32. Each of these openings 30 and 32 is of a size that permits both openings 30 and 32 to be positioned over the deck opening 16, as best seen in FIGURES 3 and 5.

The base plate 20, adjacent the leading and trailing ends 26, 28, has formed therein sockets 34 having generally circular lower portions 36 and upwardly and outwardly tapered upper portions 38, for a purpose described in more detail below.

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The base plate 20 is secured to the upper side 12 of the deck 10 by a plurality of wood screws 40, or other suitable fastening means, extended through countersunk openings 42 therein. Interposed between the plate 20 and the deck upper side 12 is a resilient, protective gasket 44 of an outline form substantially identical to that of the plate 20.

As best seen in FIGURE 2, the base plate 20 has cut out portions or indentations 46 on each side thereof for a purpose which appears below.

A top plate 48 is provided, of the same general outline configuration as the base plate 20, and has an upper surface 50, lower surface 52, and slant side edge 54 extending thereabout. The top plate 48 also has forward and trailing end portions 56, 58 corresponding to the portions 26, 28 of the base plate 20, and studs 60, including pointed lower ends 62 and cylindrical upper ends 64, depend therefrom in alignment with the sockets 34. The studs 60 are adapted to seat in the sockets 34 when the cleat 18 is in the retracted, non-use position of FIG- URE l, and serve to positively secure the plates in juxtaposed condition and to prevent breakage of the connection therebetween by accidentfl twisting of the upper plate 48, as might occur if the upper plate 48 were kicked or struck.

Depending from the top plate 48 at a location above the base plate opening 30 is a main connection rod 66 having an upper end portion 68 and threaded lower end portion 70. As seen in the drawing, the rod 66 extends slidably through the base plate opening 30, and extends through the deck opening 16 to a substantial distance below the deck lower side 14. A coil spring 72 is positioned about the rod 66 and is engaged against the gasket 44 at one end. The opposite end of spring 72 is engaged by a nut 74 threaded on the end of rod 66, and constituting an abutment means for adjusting the spring tension. The spring 72 resists upward movement of the rod 66 and its connected top plate 48 and constantly urges the top plate 48 toward its retracted position.

A guide rod 76 depends from the lower side 52 of the top plate 48 adjacent the main connection rod 66, and extends through the base plate opening 32 and into the deck opening 20.

In operation, the device is normally maintained in the retracted, FIGURE 1 location by pressure of the spring 72 on the nut 74. When it is to be used as in connecting a line 82 having a looped end 84, the top plate is manually grasped as by placing the palm of the hand against the leading end 56 and placing the fingers on the under side 52 at the cut outs 46. Upon manual raising, the line loop 84 is engaged about the more sharply pointed trailing end 58 of plate 48 and finally about the rods 66, 76, as seen in FIGURES 3 and 4. The studs 64 additionally aid in preventing accidental displacement of the line 82. As seen in FIGURE 3, the plates 48 and 20 serve to clamp the loop means therebetween.

Having described and illustrated an embodiment of this invention in detail, it will be understood that this description and illustration are offered merely by way of example, and that the invention is to be limited in scope only by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A retractable cleat for attachment to a deck having an upper side and a lower side and having a vertical opening formed therein, the cleat comprising:

(a) a base plate secured to the deck upper side, the

plate being of elongate form having a pair of sideby-side, spaced apart openings formed therein along the longitudinal axis thereof;

(b) each of the base plate openings being of reduced diameter relative to the deck opening and both being positioned thereover;

(c) said base plate including leading and trailing ends and having upwardly opening sockets therein adjacent each of said ends;

(d) a top plate having leading and trailing ends, conforming in outline configuration to the base plate and overlying the same;

(e) a main connection rod, having a pair of ends, secured at one end to the top plate and having a threaded outer end portion, the rod being slidably positioned in one base plate opening and extending through the deck opening;

(f) a coil spring about the connection rod;

(g) an enlarged nut threadedly engaged on the threaded end portion of the connection rod, the nut engaging the spring;

(h) a guide rod depending from the top plate and extending through the other base plate Opening; and

(i) studs depending from the top plate and engageable in the base plate sockets.

2. A retractable cleat for attachment to a deck having 20 a vertical opening formed therein, the cleat comprising:

(a) a base plate having a pair of openings formed therein;

(b) each of the base plate openings being positioned over the deck opening;

(0) a top plate overlying the base plate;

(d) a main connection rod, having a pair of ends, secured at one end to the top plate and having a threaded outer end portion, the rod being slidably positioned in one base plate opening and extending through the deck opening;

(e) spring means about the connection rod;

(1) abutment means secured to the connection rod outer end portion;

(g) a guide rod depending from the top plate and extending through the other base plate opening; and

(11) means depending from the top plate and engageable in the base plate to maintain alignment therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 107,738 Thompson Sept. 27, 1870 2,428,585 Rogers Oct. 7, 1947 2,870,733 Winther Jan. 27, 1959 

1. A RETRACTABLE CLEAT FOR ATTACHMENT TO A DECK HAVING AN UPPER SIDE AND A LOWER SIDE AND HAVING A VERTICAL OPENING FORMED THEREIN, THE CLEAT COMPRISING: (A) A BASE PLATE SECURED TO THE DECK UPPER SIDE, THE PLATE BEING OF ELONGATE FORM HAVING A PAIR OF SIDEBY SIDE, SPACED APART OPENINGS FORMED THEREIN ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS THEREOF; (B) EACH OF THE BASE PLATE OPENINGS BEING OF REDUCED DIAMETER RELATIVE TO THE DECK OPENING AND BOTH BEING POSITIONED THEREOVER; (C) SAID BASE PLATE INCLUDING LEADING AND TRAILING ENDS AND HAVING UPWARDLY OPENING SOCKETS THEREIN ADJACENT EACH OF SAID ENDS; (D) A TOP PLATE HAVING LEADING AND TRAILING ENDS FORMING IN OUTLINE CONFIGURATION TO THE BASE PLATE AND OVERLYING THE SAME; (E) A MAIN CONNECTION ROD, HAVING A PAIR OF ENDS, SECURED AT ONE END TO THE TOP PLATE AND HAVING A THREADED OUTER END PORTION, THE ROD BEING SLIDABLY POSITIONED IN ONE BASE PLATE OPENING AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE DECK OPENING; (F) A COIL SPRING ABOUT THE CONNECTION ROD; (G) AN ENLARGED NUT THREADEDLY ENGAGED ON THE THREADED END PORTION OF THE CONNECTION ROD, THE NUT ENGAGING THE SPRING; (H) A GUIDE ROD DEPENDING FROM THE TOP PLATE AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE OTHER BASE PLATE OPENING: AND (I) STUDS DEPENDING FROM THE TOP PLATE AND ENGAGEABLE IN THE BASE PLATE SOCKETS. 